Character Creation, Tolkien and Martin

 

Great stories derive from amazing characters that the readers can relate to and connect with. This can be a daunting task to achieve, however, it doesn't need to be that big of a challenge. The difficulty of the task can vary based on how much work we are willing to put into the characters. When writing fantasy novels or just short stories it is paramount that your readers get immersed in the story they are reading. This can be helped by an immersive world, stunning maps and art works. But maybe the best way to bring in readers is strong and realistic characters.


There are different types of character building tips that I have seen and tried to implement in my own stories. It is good to make use of tips and tricks and learn from others, this is the essence of being a good world builder and writer. Your characters will need to feel either larger than life or quite the opposite. This might be a little confusing but it depends on what kind of story you are trying to write. In order to better explain this we will be taking two examples from pop culture. The Game of Thrones series for instance has very realistic and flawed characters, the opposite to this is the Lord of the Rings, which doesn’t shy from larger than life archetypal characters. These two series have occupied our imagination and we fell in love with the characters almost immediately.


Archetypes


Depending on the story you want to write you will have to choose on a principle of character creation. The archetypal characters present in the Lord of the Rings series serve a certain function. When Tolkien started working on his world he wanted to send a message through his writing, not a message that we can easily see in the world, but rather something we should aspire to. The character of Frodo in a lot of ways represents our individual journeys through life. The struggles, the burdens and the silent victories we get on a daily basis. On the other hand the fellowship that surrounds him can be seen as a representation of the people we meet in life or even of our own inner strengths. Samvise, the true unyielding friend who is always there to carry us forward. Gandalf the wise old man that can teach us about life. Aragorn, the humble warrior who depicts loyalty. All these characters are somewhat built upon certain characteristics. You get the sense that there are all high, almost unreachable aspirations that Tolkien is inviting us to try and reach. And at the same time they can be seen as a comforting note, we might not meet perfect people but we can meet loyal and wise people who can become true friends.


Tolkien's work was inspired by myths, these ancient stories had one purpose, to teach people how to live though daring and dark times. Each character has a larger than life meaning to him, he represents something. If you have a clear idea of what you want to write, and if there is a unique lesson you want to pass on to your readers then archetypal characters are what you are going to want to create.

Becoming The Character


Approaching your characters in a human way can provide a different aspect to your story. Giving them human flaws and human virtues will undoubtedly give your readers something to cling to when they start exploring your world. Just like us these kinds of characters grow over time, they learn and adapt, however, they also deteriorate. This might sound scary but it can also provide huge opportunities to give characters redeeming moments. Giving a different dynamic to a story than what archetypal characters provide. When approaching this character building method you should take the time to explore what your characters will be. The best tip I saw when I started writing was “first create the characters”. Making a sort of table for what your characters virtues and flaws are. This will allow you to take a bit of a back seat when you start writing. Because if you create something that is basically a human you only need to put them in a living world and figure out how they will act in different situations according to their nature.


Sure, it might take some reading and learning about psychology but after the initial drive you will see your characters come alive. Once this primary hurdle has been passed your characters will live in a world you have made for them. Their individual stories will be the main driving point of the story. George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones depicts this in an excellent way. So much so that even the chapters are names after the characters. The main centerpiece of the story is people and you get to explore this. Their trials and victories become your readers and there is a real connection there.


Both approaches are central to driving a fantasy world, each in its own right has influenced the way we look at world building. It is these two ways of writing that have made fantasy into pop culture in the first place. The larger than life stories of Tolkien and the very real characters with very real problems of Martin's world are what made fantasy as we know them today. Depending on what kind of story you want to tell your readers you will pick between these tho writing and world building methods. However, as with any art, don't get bogged down in formulas, you can mix and try different things. The work these two men have done for fantasy is why we love the genre so much, they’re the starting point and that's how we should view it.


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